African-American or what?

Question

I read this article the other day written by a brotha who was encouraging all African-American to refuse being called that. Says he was born in USA, so that dont make him any African - he's all AMERICAN? Do you feel that way too? Whose idea was it to move from Black American to African American? What would you rather be called? Well, Im all African.

Answer 1

I don't like the term African American because it doesn't make any sense. I prefer to be call Black when when someone refers to me. Or by other countries as black American. I do not want to be call just America because 95% of our history in this land, America was against the Black race, even to this day some of the people in office are the same. To me to be call just American in regard's to my nationality, would be saying the I support and share the same views with this nation.

Answer 2

What's the deal anyway? I come from a country where interracial relationships and marriages are a common day occurence. I am a product of interracial parents, however, I prefer to be even more associated with my Black roots if I may say so. Since my arrival in this country, I have observed the controversy and have been keeping tabs. I find the history very interesting. I am constantly reading about the African American culture and the history in America. The name preference is constantly changing.
Also, if someone is not American, but is Black, and the only option on an application was African American, then what? To me, I feel that as long as a person is treated with respect and dignity, everything else can fly out the window.

Answer 3

Not all Black people in the U.S.A are American. I don't prefer to be called African American either, being that I was born in the Caribbean. I don't consider myself African, rather a person of African descent.

Answer 4

Here's an interesting twist on that. I used to work with a guy whose mom was German-American and his dad was an Arab from Tunisia. He considered himself African-American since his dad was from Africa but also white as Arabs are still Caucasian. So, in his case, being white & African-American were not mutually exclusive.
This also reminds me that so many people have gotten used to referring to black people, in general, as African-American that they don't stop to think that the person may not be American at all!

Answer 5

I would rather be called African-American because I'm have black and half white. So I'm black like Africans and I'm American like everybody else.

Answer 6

I prefer to be called black. Why can a white person refer to him/herself as irish-american, german-american, italian-american... and it not raise any eyebrows... but as soon as I want to call myself african-american, I people get all in a tizzy about it? I do recognize and honor my african roots, so I don't mind being called either, and I switch between black and african-american. I think a person has a right to be called anything they wish to be called except yo mama, and it really shouldn't offend anybody else, because it's not them. Everybody should have a right to define themselves the way they want to, and not have to define themselves by others words.

Answer 7

Thats what i been sayin because i'm not from afriaca i from america born and raised now there is some africans americans over here but i'm not one of them call me BLACK AMERICAN!

Answer 8

Personally it doesn't matter to me. It doesn't bother me if someone says African American vs Black American.

Answer 9

I've had some really bad expierences when I say Black American instead of African-American. They take it as racism. And I'm not at all.

Answer 10

Well, I say that if you were born here, you're an American. If you're born in another country and receive you're citizenship, you're an American. We are a melting pot. English is the official language, and this is the United States of America. We need to stop trying to find ways to separate us and start looking for ways to unite us.